


Bloom

by wartransmission



Category: Free!
Genre: Elemental sprites!AU, M/M, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-24
Updated: 2014-01-24
Packaged: 2018-01-09 20:50:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1150665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wartransmission/pseuds/wartransmission
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto, being one of the Earth's sprites as he is, still keeps forgetting that flowers can't grow without him. Haru tries to remedy that, as difficult a task it may be when Makoto keeps worrying about the weirdest things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bloom

**Author's Note:**

> [http://makoharufestival.tumblr.com/post/74416424767](http://makoharufestival.tumblr.com/post/74416424767/challenge-meaningless-without-you-user) Here's the link to the contest entry! If you liked this, then it'd be great if you helped me out and liked the original post. Thank you!

He is always there when you look for him, for some reason. You always hope that it's because he knows that you need him, but that couldn't be true, could it? Haru goes wherever his water takes him, and you're just lucky enough to catch him whenever you feel like you need his presence. Haru, being the water sprite that he is, would always love water more than he loves you. (It's arrogant to assume that he could love you in the first place, but there's really nothing wrong with hoping. Surely, Haru could love you as a friend, at least.)

 

"Haru," you call out as you near the ocean shore, climbing down to the lowest rock closest to the water with the ease of someone who has done it routinely since the beginning of his life. It's been a long life, Nagisa would say, though you wouldn't really be able to say yourself. You're not one for years and dates like Nagisa is, but then again, you're not a winter sprite who has to wait for the seasons to come.

 

"Rei visited you again," Haru says point-blank when he raises his head from the water, making you laugh in surprise as you slide a little lower so you can be closer to him.  He swims closer, body almost as blue as the ocean tides while retaining a fleshy color to his skin, and he looks up at you with the expression of a child who's annoyed that his playmate has been stolen from him. You laugh again because it reminds you of Ran and Ren, both earth sprites like you, who sometimes argue over who gets to play with you first.

 

"Why do you say that, Haru?" You ask, pulling your legs up to your chest so you can wrap your arms around them. You rest your chin comfortably on your knees as you smile at him, and he raises an eyebrow in response.

 

"There are flowers in your hair," Haru says. You reach up, intending to remove one for him, but he shakes his head. "It wouldn't mean anything without you," he says.

 

"Eh?" You blink in confusion at him, though you do lower your hand back to your knee. "But they're really pretty, aren't they?"

 

"Of course they would be," Haru says while raising a condescending eyebrow at you. "They're from a sprite specializing in beauty, after all. It'd be shameful if he couldn't even get the flowers right."

 

"You really shouldn't talk like that, Haru," You say, sighing when Haru gives you another challenging look. "He's the one who keeps your water beautiful for you, after all."

 

"Doesn't matter," Haru says, shaking his head, before climbing up the rock beside yours. Small tides of water and foam follow him when he sits down, forming makeshift clothes on his skin and covering the whole of his body like any garment would. 

 

("Wouldn't it be best for you to stay in the water?" You had asked him once when he sat beside you, his blue-tinged body becoming a little more earthy in color when he finally settled himself on the rock.

 

"You swim with me even though earth is your element," Haru had said, leaving it at that as he looks at you, as though hoping you'll understand on your own.)

 

"Just because you're older than him and he can't swim doesn't mean that you're better, you know," you tell him with a raised brow and a reprimanding tone. "Besides, he's learning now."

 

"Badly," Haru says, turning his gaze away from you and to the wide ocean as he props his chin on his folded arms, which are settled above his knees.

 

"He's trying," you reason with a huff. "He could do better at it if you taught him, Haru."

 

"The water doesn't like him," Haru replies glibly.

 

"Then make it like him! Or, at least, tell him what he's doing wrong," you say, trying not to whine even though you know that that's a failed attempt.

 

Haru remains quiet at your words. You grow silent as well, a hint of worry niggling at the back of your mind. Perhaps, you think to yourself in a mild state of panic, you had said something wrong? Did you insult him without meaning to?

 

Haru speaks up eventually (you sigh in relief, before putting a serious expression back on as you listen to him), his gaze still turned away from you, "He worries too much. The water is there so people can feel free in it, but he's stifling it with all of his calculations.”

 

You blink at the unexpected of length of his speech, caught in surprise because you hadn't thought that he'd actually say anything helpful. You blink again when he glances at you, looking as though he's waiting for your reaction, to which you offer a satisfied smile. That was better than what you'd expected from him, after all. "Then why not tell him that?" You suggest with a smile. Haru looks like he's contemplating the idea and you wait, almost impatiently, before he shakes his head. You sigh softly to yourself, letting your shoulders slump downward as you nod in acquiescence (albeit a bit hesitantly). "I guess I'll just have to tell him on your behalf, then."

 

"Do what you want," Haru says with a shrug, though he offers up a smirk when you groan in response. He's become more open to being snarky ever since the ocean waters became calmer, which made it harder for you to tell if the snark was a good thing or a bad thing. If the water was at peace, then Haru should be at peace too, shouldn't he? Honestly. You're starting to think that he's doing this just to mess with you, which...is a real possibility, now that you're thinking about it. You sigh and shake your head, giving Haru something of a weary and affectionate smile; Haru huffs in response and gives you another one of his unamused looks.

 

"I could ask Rei to give you flowers next time he visits," you offer, the non sequitur making Haru furrow his eyebrows at you in response. "You said that you knew Rei visited me because of the flowers, didn't you? That must mean that you think they're pretty. So I thought," you trail off, chewing on your lower lip when Haru still doesn't look like he comprehends the connection. "I thought you'd like flowers of your own? Since you didn't want to take mine."

 

"I didn't take yours because they'd die without you," Haru deadpans. You laugh nervously at the obvious reminder. Of course; water lilies were the best flowers if you took Haru's watery nature into mind. How could you have forgotten?

 

"They wouldn't be able to live without Haru either, so there's that," you say to lessen the degree of stupidity you'd expressed just earlier. Haru huffs, before cocking his head just slightly to the side as a signal for you to come closer. You frown in bemusement but lean closer as ordered, a little worried about what he's planning to do to you. You jolt when Haru's wet hand comes up to touch your face without warning, though you relax easily enough when Haru gives you a bored look. "Sorry," you say with a sheepish smile as you lean into his touch. "I'm still not used to this."

 

"It's been millennia," Haru mumbles in annoyance, leaning closer and tilting his head forward so he can press his forehead into yours. "Get used to it, Makoto."

 

"Be quiet," you grumble as you close your eyes, sighing as you let him replenish your water supply for the years to come. "You know that you don't have to do this, right?" You say, voice soft as you peek at him with one eye open.

 

"You don't have anyone else to do this for you," Haru says bluntly, subsequently making you laugh and close your eyes again. He does have a point, much as you don't like to admit it. It's not like there are a lot of water sprites who can offer you water like he can so easily, considering how he's one of the few sprites from the ocean. You'd think that with the ocean's depth and largeness there'd be more sprites who occupied it and harnessed its power, but it remains that there are few because most sprites can't handle harnessing power from such a vast body of water. It's why most sprites choose lakes or ponds instead, as they can then have the full capacity for control over them.

 

"Makoto," he whispers this time, catching your attention and making you open your eyes in confusion. He's far closer than he was before and you blink in surprise, though you don't move away. 'You're not going to complain about this too, are you?" He asks with narrowed eyes.

 

"No, I won't," you say, smiling when he stifles a snort of laughter in his amusement with you. "It's been millennia, after all. Isn't that right, Haru?" You ask teasingly, leaning forward so that your forehead bumps into his just a little bit roughly.

 

"Play nice," he drawls as he leans away for a moment, an imitation of what you'd tell him and Rin whenever they're fighting over inconsequential things. You roll your eyes at the blatant show of mockery but you move closer anyway, not letting Haru have another chance to tease you as you steal a kiss from his lips. That is, you _try_ , but he tilts his head and kisses you back before you can pull away. You make a surprised sound at the reciprocation and shift to move away, but Haru reaches a hand out to pinch you by the jaw before you can actually move back.

 

"Ow," you grumble once he pulls away from the kiss, your hand immediately moving to rub at the sore spot on your jaw to soothe it. "What was that for, Haru?"

 

"You were going to move away," Haru says with a light shrug. You give him an annoyed look back but you don't say anything in reply, considering how scolding him wouldn't do any good anyway. There's a moment of silence before he sends an impatient look your way, somehow managing to communicate " _come closer_ " with just his eyes, and you lean forward into him, your lips almost touching as you move- though you stop before your lips can touch. The proximity doesn't let you see the whole of Haru's expression much, but you're sure that he's irritated by now. Still, you have a legitimate reason for stopping this time! (Sort of. You're not that sure about the legitimacy of it, to be honest.)

 

"Does it really have to be done this way, Haru?" You ask hesitantly. You smile weakly when Haru leans away just to give you a blank look. "Touching me is already fine, isn't it? It's not that I mind what we're doing- but humans usually kiss to mean something else...I just thought, maybe," you trail off, curling in a little on yourself when Haru squints his eyes at you in confusion. "You wouldn't be comfortable with it?"

 

"I'm not human," Haru says, his narrowed eyes returning to their usual half-lidded state once he realizes what your issue is with the kissing as a way of sharing water. "I don't care what they think about it. I'm doing this because you need water, and that's that."

 

You feel a small twinge in your chest at those words but you smile anyway, because it's not like it hurt that much. Maybe it's nature telling you to stop needlessly worrying about it? You wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. "Okay," you say with a nod, moving closer to Haru again, though you stop when Haru leans back in turn. "Haru?" You ask confusedly, because wasn't he the one who wanted it to be over with?

 

"Why were you thinking about that, anyway?" He asks, staring askance at you as you begin to fidget in place. "Makoto."

 

"Well, Rin said," you trail off a bit, scratching at your cheek out of habit when Haru starts to frown at the mention of the sun sprite, "I asked him why he didn't kiss me like you did. You use kissing to replenish my water supply, but Rin just hugs me to help me sustain my warmth, so I was wondering if there was something about it? He made a weird face when I told him about how we did it so I asked him, and he told me that it's," you pause to scratch at your hair, careful not to mess with the flowers settled there, "something only lovers do."

 

"He hugs you," Haru repeats in an oddly serious tone, his frown unfaltering as turns his gaze down to the tides splashing against the rocks.

 

"Rin mostly just touches my forehead or shoulder," you correct, your voice a little softer this time so you won't disturb Haru's thoughts. You can't really tell if he's listening to you at this point, but you go on anyway because there's not much else you can do other than fill up the silence. "The hugs only happen during winter time when it's coldest, just so I won't get overwhelmed with Nagisa." You pause, contemplating for a moment on the meaning of Haru's sudden seriousness, before smiling when you get an idea. "I could suggest it to Rin if you wanted him to do it with you? I think he knows that you don't like physical contact much, which is why he doesn't hug you." Your smile falters, far too easily, when Haru's frown intensifies at your words. "I won't tell him that it's because you wanted to, if that's what you were worried about, Haru."

 

"I don't want to hug Rin," Haru grumbles petulantly. He looks up at you this time and the feeling that he's looking right into you, a feeling you've been familiar with since you were a younger sprite, makes you freeze in place, your fidgeting hands coming to a halt as you look back at him. _Don't be dense, Makoto._

 

"I 'm a little confused," you say, frowning as you turn your whole body to face Haru. "How am I being dense? And if you don't want to hug Rin, then what other reason is there for you to look so annoyed?"

 

"It's because you keep talking," Haru grumbles, his gaze on you intense enough to make you feel uncomfortable. Haru is usually the type to avoid eye contact, so the fact that he's willingly looking into your eyes at all is a bit...

 

"But that was because you asked me something," you say, annoyance lacing your own voice as you look back at him, trying to remain undaunted despite how he isn't letting up with his staring. "Did Haru not want me to answer?"

 

"You said a lot of unnecessary things." Haru keeps looking at you still, impatience clear from how he's already shifted his own body to face yours. He looks like he wants to ask for something but he's too afraid to say what it is; would the right thing be to ask him about it? Or do you let him keep his dignity and not mention it? (Was what he wanted _that_ embarrassing to be said out loud?)

 

"I only suggested that Rin hug you because you sounded jealous," you say, voice a cross between whining and grumbling as you squint your eyes at him. Haru freezes at your words and you pause as well, blinking as you process his reaction, before your eyes widen in surprise. You try to stifle an amused smile with a hand covering your mouth, yet you end up laughing a bit anyway. "H-Haru, you were jealous?"

 

"Shut up. Your flowers are blooming," Haru mumbles, making you squeak in surprise as you reach a hand up to check on the closed buds on your head. They've bloomed now, you can tell from the petals lying flat on your head, and you grow flustered in embarrassment. Haru looks up just as soon as you feel the heat spreading on your cheeks, and he smirks. Really, if you could control when they bloomed, you'd do it! But you can't, because they're more attuned to your feelings than anything else. (You really should ask Rei about that sometime.)

 

"Never mind that," you huff, trying not to let your embarrassment show on your face as you lower your hands and fold your arms over your chest. "The fact is, you were _jealous_ ," you say, trying not to grin too much as you lean forward. "That's really cute, Haru."

 

"Don't get cocky," Haru says while sending a glare your way. "I don't want you to end up like Rin."

 

"He'd get angry if he heard that from you, Haru," you point out with a laugh. "Besides, Rin isn't that bad. He just tends to be too passionate about things."

 

"It's why he ends up in a lot of trouble and we end up having to save him," Haru deadpans. You laugh again, though you do acknowledge the truth in his statement. His foot brushes against yours when he moves to fold his legs in front of him and you look up, your laughter trickling into soft giggles as you wipe at your eyes. "Are you done?" He asks, an eyebrow raised as he regards you.

 

"Sorry, sorry," you say, smiling even when you notice Haru taking a peek at the flowers blooming on your head. "I'm just happy that I get to spend time with Haru like this," you say honestly. Haru blinks and gives you a curious look at that, to which you respond by leaning in and pressing your foreheads together. He is unsurprised at the proximity and even accepts the affectionate gesture, not having to look down at your hands at all as you offer your hand to him, which he accepts. His fingers, thinner and bonier than yours as they are, fit perfectly in the spaces between your own like they were always meant to be there. You squeeze his hand gently and you close your eyes, letting him share his water with you at his own pace. You make a soft sound when he kisses you without warning though you don't pull away, only tilting your head so you can make it easier for him as he presses his lips against yours.

 

The process, while already long in normal circumstances, takes a little longer this time. You don't know if it's because Haru's trying to be especially helpful, or if it's because of his jealousy, but you accept his kindness anyway. His lips are soft, which is unsurprising considering how he's a water sprite, though they feel oddly warm against your own. "Is that enough?" He asks once you've separated, his blue eyes looking brighter and his voice softer than before he'd kissed you. You smile at the question, knowing well enough how it's unnecessary seeing as Haru always knows the amount of water shares with you, and you nod.

 

"It's more than enough. Thank you, Haru." You smile when you say so, squeezing your hand gently around Haru's own. He squeezes back not long after, his fingers warmer now against yours, and you smile a little bit wider. Haru gives you a mildly amused smile before he looks up, gaze blatantly set on your head filling up with blooming flowers, to which you laugh.

 

 _They're still blooming_ , he thinks.

 

"Like I said," you say matter-of-factly, a hint of laughter still in your voice as you pull away to let him have a better view of your head, "they wouldn't mean anything without you too, Haru." You grin and lower your head when Haru reaches a hand up, not at all complaining as you let him have his fun with your flowers.

 

"Mm," Haru agrees with a hum, a small and nigh unnoticeable smile on his face when you peek up at him. _They wouldn't bloom without either of us_ , he doesn't say, but you hear the words anyway.

 

You smile then, your sleepy-eyed gaze turning soft as you raise your head to better look at him. You press your forehead against his and you close your eyes (not wanting him to feel embarrassed with your gaze, as he is wont to do), letting him take his time to cool the rising warmth under your skin. With your eyes closed but your senses aware of how Haru is looking at you, you say, “They wouldn’t.”

 

And that was that.


End file.
